Last Updated on 12/01/2022 by Mark Beckenbach
There are reports of a new Canon EOS R5 Mk II on the horizon. For many years, Canon didn’t push technology out quickly. But now it seems like things are changing. In the past few years, we’ve seen tons of innovation from them in just autofocus alone. So it’s not farfetched to think the EOS R5 Mk II is coming. When it does come, here’s what we’d want.
First off, before we go on, this post is targeting photographers. I genuinely think creators and YouTubers need their own cameras. I share that sentiment with professional videographers that work on film sets. One device with a bunch of accessories shouldn’t be doing everything. I genuinely wish camcorders made a comeback with interchangeable lenses and small form factors.
With that said, I didn’t encounter the significant overheating problems the Canon EOS R5 had with video (I’ve been using the camera for years). Did it overheat? It got warm, but it was never as bad as many folks made it seem. That’s another reason why YouTubers need dedicated cameras for them.
The Canon EOS R5 was a camera, first and foremost, designed for photographers. It really should be kept that way. So here’s what we think the EOS R5 Mk II should have to make it better for photographers.
Table of Contents
The Revamped Autofocus of the EOS R3 and EOS R6 Mk II
The Canon EOS R5, as it is, has outstanding autofocus. All of Canon’s cameras do. They’re all competent and can perform exceptionally well in use. But the EOS R3, EOS R7, and EOS R6 Mk II all do a better job at various things. The EOS R5 currently has an autofocus system primarily based on the original EOS R, which isn’t bad but is showing its age.
The Canon EOS R5 Mk II will need all the scene detection the R6 Mk II has and more. What am I talking about? Well, how about the same sort of insect detection Sony has incorporated into the autofocus? In our tests, the EOS R5 can nail insects pretty well, but the EOS R5 Mk II should have it hard-coded into the system.
Better High ISO Output
The Canon EOS R5 Mk II is bound to be another high-megapixel camera. I’m not sure if it will go beyond the 45MP of its predecessor but, if it does, Canon needs to do something about the high ISO output. Images start to fall apart after ISO 6400. Even though that sounds insane, it’s something that should be considered. Why can’t we have the cleanest ISO 6400 results possible? The way to do that would be to make higher options like 12,800 cleaner.
I’m pretty sure Canon can do it.
Eye Detection Autofocus
The Canon EOS R3 has eye-detection autofocus: it looks at your eye, figures out what it’s staring at, and locks onto the subject in the frame. This was something Canon did that was super innovative back in the film days. Why not give this ability to more photographers? Further, why not improve it to be able to work with eyeglasses, understand the unique shape of your eye, and adapt to what you’re looking at?
Joystick Placement and more Buttons
The Canon EOS R5 has an odd joystick placement. To this day, I’m still not used to it. And I think the EOS R5 Mk II can shift it just a bit to make it much more comfortable. It’s very comfortable on the EOS R6 Mk II. And the EOS R7 does a unique thing by stacking the back dial on top of the joystick. So some sort of modification is much needed.
In addition, the EOS R5 Mk II needs more programmable buttons that can be mapped to specific functions like scene detection and more.
Blackout Free Viewfinder for Faster Shooting
Here’s a big one for me! The Canon EOS R5 Mk II could use a blackout-free viewfinder when shooting fast-moving subjects. This helps with animal detection and athletes moving at super-fast speeds while using telephoto zooms. On top of that, the electronic shutter could use a major revamp.
Rolling Shutter Control
For photography, the EOS R5 Mk II should receive something to help with rolling shutter issues. They’re pretty bad with Canon’s cameras as you’re panning with the subject. And other brands have found ways to keep it at a minimum. This is a big problem that Canon could surely solve easily.
We’re pretty sure people will look at the Canon EOS R5 Mk II’s price and scoff. But honestly, its predecessor is the standard for a lot of professional photographers out there. It’s competent as a workhorse camera and has access to some of the best lenses on the market. If we had to guess, we’d think the Canon EOS R5 Mk II will hit the market before the summer (wedding season). So let’s see!